Mark Sanchez’s season is over, and in all likelihood so is his New York Jets career. According to NFL.com, the former starting quarterback has decided to undergo surgery to repair the torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder and will not play in 2013.

Jets' quarterback Mark Sanchez will have surgery on his shoulder within the next week or two after attempts to rehabilitate the injury non-surgically didn't work. (AP photo)

Sanchez had tried to rehab the injury suffered in August in the fourth quarter of the third preseason game against the New York Giants. Now, a source told NFL.com, he knows that surgery is inevitable, that he might delay it only a week or two, but that when he has it he faces a four- to six-month recovery.

Just 2 ½ weeks ago, before the Jets played at New England, Sanchez told NFL Network’s Rich Eisen that he wanted to avoid surgery in favor of rehab. Sanchez said that he planned to return this season and regain the starting job for which, he insisted, “I won the competition. There was no doubt about that.’’

Instead, Sanchez likely will never play for the Jets again. Sanchez is making $8.25 million and is signed through 2016. But in all likelihood he'll be cut before free agency.

Rookie Geno Smith has started since the regular-season opener, and even after his worst game by far on Sunday in a 38-13 shellacking in Tennessee, head coach Rex Ryan said he was not going to bench him. "It's not a thought at this point right now," Ryan told reporters in Florham Park, N.J. on Monday.

Without Sanchez, who started every regular-season and playoff game in his first four seasons until this year, the 2-2 Jets are left with Matt Simms and Brady Quinn if Smith falters.